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The phenomenon of child pornography
day nursery in Amsterdam only came to light once images of this abuse were intercepted. 317 In the case of
pre-adolescent victims in particular, who are after all less able to make a statement regarding the abuse,
the existence of images of their abuse provides an opportunity for the abuse to be discovered, as a result
of which they can be rescued from the situation (see 1.2.3 box text: Digital child abuse material and ICT
as an opportunity). The fact that images of their abuse are circulating on the Internet does not form the
central focus in the victimisation of pre-adolescent children, as most pre-adolescent children do not yet
possess the cognitive capacity to be able to realise that images of their abuse may exist on the Internet
and have consequently acquired permanence. 318 This realisation and the accompanying victimisation
may develop later in life, however, and may still serve to traumatise the victim at that time. 319
Adolescent and post-adolescent victims
Compared with pre-adolescent victims of child pornography, older children (12-18 years) are themselves
involved in the production of abusive images more often than younger children.
Sexting 320
A proportion of child abuse material that is available is produced by minors themselves. 321 In general
this material is produced for the use of one specific individual 322 but due to certain circumstances
it is subsequently distributed and so may end up on websites specifically concerned with
child abuse material. These producers and victims are in most cases adolescents rather than preadolescent
children. The production of images by children themselves is also known as ‘sexting’. 323
Some authors also associate the term ‘self-exploitation’ with such activities, 324 which specifically
concern images that youngsters produce of themselves or of one another within the context of an
intimate (sexual) relationship. Cases of self-exploitation for commercial purposes have also been
found. 325 In 2007, the American <strong>National</strong> Center for Missing and Exploited <strong>Child</strong>ren estimated that
approximately 5.4% of the total supply of material featuring children that was currently circulating
on the Internet could be regarded as self-produced. 326 This is primarily considered to be a consequence
of the rise of ‘webcam sex’. 327 Webcam sex may have taken place on a voluntary basis, but it
does not alter the fact that it may be subsequently distributed without the consent of the individual
who is depicted. 328 Images produced by the victims themselves but that are subsequently distributed
by someone else, often as an act of retaliation, may have a traumatic effect upon the victims.
317 See §3.7.5 regarding the Amsterdam sexual abuse case.
318 Von Weiler et al., 2010; Nyman, 2008, p.22.
319 Von Weiler et al., 2010.
320 See also §1.4.2 regarding ‘sexting’ and also §1.5.2 regarding the extent of this phenomenon.
321 McLaughlin, 2010.
322 For example, a boy/girlfriend or sexual partner of the producer.
323 The word ‘sexting’ originates from a portmanteau formed from the word ‘texting’, which refers to
the sending of text messages using a mobile telephone, and the word ‘sex’. Since then, the term has
become more widely used in parallel with the developments in the use of ICT and youth culture.
324 Leary, 2007, pp.2-51.
325 Leary, 2007, p.4.
326 Leary, 2007, p.19.
327 Quayle et al., 2008, p.63.
328 Quayle et al., 2008, pp.63-64.
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